Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-02-26
ErnusCAr RELICS.

ErnUsCAN RELICS.
ANItaaian Mussum That Constants 1Eany
Articles ~ Aisserical Intsrsst.
Il BONE correspondent Of the Detrodt
Post recently visited the mussum at The
University Of Perugia, and describes
what he saw there q follows: The CHIEF
interest OF this museum IL IN the raIics
taken from cid Etruscan tombs that
have been found just in the neighbor-
hood OF Psrugia. A vast number Of
these we're but cinerary urns or chests,
with sculptored lids and ldes, in which
had been treasured only The ashes Of the
dead; for it would seem to have beeu
the custom among this people, in the
age when these tombs were prepared, to
burn, rather than bury, their dead.
This. however, could not have been alto
gether the custom, for there were hare
also good many stone collins, all found
Just about Perugis, which was one Of
the twelve cities Of the Etruscan confed-
eration. In several of these the skele-
ton of the entire body buried was yet
remaining.
Some Of these were evidently those OF
great ladies, princeeses, perhaps, who
had been buried in the fine attire and
adorned with abundant jewelry. Their
mirrors, lamps, pans for food, and kind
of saucer for sacrifice or incense. and
especially their perfume bottles doubt
less we'll filed at the time OF their burr
all we're inclosed in the coffin with them
and remain beside them, az they were
inferred, more than two thousand years
ago. saw in cases here hundreds and
hundreds of these little perfume bottles.
They have been called .lacramatories,
and have been supposed to have con-
tanned the tears shed on the occasion of
the death of the one intombed and bot
tied up as an epitaph OF everlasting
testimony to their virtues or the affec-
ton with which they have been re-
garded.
But have been assured by those
much more learned IL these matters than
myself that these were perfume bottles
or deodsrizsrs of the close air of their
small sleeping apartments to which they
had been consigned. In one coffin the
immense gold earrings Of most elegant
workmanship, which had dropped from
the ears were lying as they had been
found. Great numbers of such orna-
ments were to be seen preserved in cases
under glass
The head of the Medusa with it's curls
Of snakes Is the one device which prevails
more than any other on these old tombs,
and this is at present in the fashionable
jewelers. of Rome the favorite design,
the newest fashion for camel, oxydized
silver cloak and belt clasps, aud various
ornaments of ladies' wear.
Europa crossing the Bosphorus, as
Tennyson describes her, with cher man
tie back from her shoulders borne" and
her hand claspirg "the mild bulls gold
en- horn," is another picture often re-
peated on those old Etruscan tombs.
Serpents, dragons. grifins, and things
most horrid are oft-repeated symbols Of
Etruscan ideas Of death. I could not
hut contrast them with the rude. sculp-
lures, yet sweet and simple inscriptions,
on the tombs of the catacombe-sucb as
the "Good Shepherd" bearing on his
shoulders lamb ever the river Of death,
the dove with an olive branch in its
mouth, sometimes on the back of fish,
swimming smoothly over the waters of
the dark ocean to show that it is not
to be feared but is as the native element
to the soul set free from the body per-
haps by cruel martyrdom.
Then the inscriptions to "My Sweet
Mother" "My Sweetest Sister Lives"
"She lives with God" ''She Lives with
Us, Yet She Lives;" for this ssseveration
that 'She Lives" is repeated four times
on one inscription. Very different these
symbols ana epitaphs Of the catacombs
from these gorgons and dragons on these
old Etruscan tombs Though there are
often sweet testimonies of affection on
these }, showing that q new and sweeter
thought had come into the world with
the new religion to which the catacombs
are most powerful and still existing
witness.
Salvation Soldiers and the Cowboy.